The MRCP(UK) — Membership of the Royal Colleges of Physicians of the United Kingdom — is a postgraduate diploma that demonstrates a doctor has the knowledge, clinical skills and judgment required for higher specialist training in internal medicine. It is jointly run by the three UK Royal Colleges of Physicians (London, Edinburgh and Glasgow) and is recognised internationally as a benchmark qualification for physicians.

What are the three parts of the MRCP?

The MRCP(UK) diploma consists of three separate examinations, taken in sequence:

  • MRCP Part 1 — a written exam testing knowledge and understanding of the clinical sciences relevant to medical practice. It consists of two papers of multiple-choice questions in "best of five" format, sat on the same day.
  • MRCP Part 2 (Written) — a written exam testing the application of clinical knowledge: diagnosis, investigation and management of realistic patient scenarios, including image-based questions (radiology, ECGs, clinical photographs).
  • PACES — the Practical Assessment of Clinical Examination Skills, a face-to-face clinical exam assessing examination technique, communication and clinical judgment with real and simulated patients.

Who is eligible to sit the MRCP?

You can attempt MRCP Part 1 once you have completed at least 12 months of postgraduate medical experience after graduation. There is no requirement to be working in the UK — thousands of international medical graduates sit the exam every year at centres worldwide, which is why MRCP is one of the most popular routes for IMGs pursuing a medical career in the UK.

What is the MRCP Part 1 exam format?

MRCP Part 1 consists of two papers, each with 100 best-of-five questions, giving 200 questions in total across the day. Each paper lasts three hours. There is no negative marking, so you should answer every question. The questions are distributed across a published specialty blueprint — with clinical sciences, cardiology, gastroenterology, neurology and clinical pharmacology among the heavier-weighted domains.

Back Benchers tip: the blueprint weighting is the single most under-used piece of public information. Studying every specialty equally is the most common strategic mistake candidates make.

How hard is the MRCP, and what are the pass rates?

MRCP Part 1 is widely considered the biggest hurdle. Pass rates have historically hovered around 40–50% per diet, meaning most candidates do not pass on a given attempt. The exam is not testing rote memorisation — it tests the application of core science to clinical vignettes under time pressure. This is precisely why strategy matters as much as knowledge.

How many times a year can you sit the exam?

MRCP Part 1 and Part 2 are each offered multiple times per year (referred to as "diets"). Candidates should check the current MRCP(UK) website for the exact dates and application windows for their intended diet, as schedules and fees are updated annually.

How should you start preparing for the MRCP?

An effective preparation plan rests on four pillars:

  1. A structured knowledge base — high-yield theory aligned with the exam blueprint, not textbook cover-to-cover reading.
  2. Question practice — a quality Q-bank used actively (reading explanations for wrong and right answers).
  3. Past recalls — questions remembered from previous diets, sorted by domain and by diet, which reveal the exam's real recurring patterns.
  4. Mock simulation — full-length timed mocks that replicate the two-paper format, so exam day pressure is familiar, not shocking.

This four-pillar approach is exactly how our MRCP Part 1 course and MRCP Part 2 course are structured — and it is the methodology behind every name on our Hall of Fame.

What does the MRCP cost?

Exam fees differ for UK and international centres and are revised periodically — always confirm the current fee on the official MRCP(UK) website before applying. Beyond exam fees, budget for preparation resources; a well-chosen all-in-one program is usually cheaper than stacking multiple Q-bank and course subscriptions separately.

Next steps

If you're starting your journey, read our guide on how to prepare for MRCP Part 1, or compare the exams in MRCP Part 1 vs Part 2. If you'd like to experience our teaching style first, register for our free introductory session.